Tolerance lectures

Vice-chancellors of various public universities have recommended that tolerance lectures be held on campuses throughout Pakistan on a weekly basis. Specific lectures on tolerance could stem from rising intolerance in society, they argue, adding that such lectures should be held in universities as well as colleges. Another suggestion given at this gathering of academics held recently in Peshawar was to reactivate students counselling societies and promote more sporting activities so that the energies of young people are channelled to more productive avenues. These are all good ideas. They come at a time when university administrators are trying to ascertain how to avoid incidents like the recent one in Mardan where a student, Mashal Khan, was lynched on suspicion of blasphemy by his fellow students. That incident sent a shockwave through society and illustrated how students are increasingly becoming intolerant.

The recommendations by the vice-chancellors are welcome. But they can be seen as a rather simplistic solution to a very complex problem. What we have seen on our campuses over the past years has been a steady rise in incidents of violence which come about from increasing intolerance in our societies. A lot of quarters promote hate and this has gone unchecked for decades. Lectures on tolerance are a good way to start but many other steps should follow. To begin with, instead of re-activating counselling societies, a better option would be allow for students to be given some level of ownership of their institutions. One good idea would be to hold student union elections on campuses. The electoral process allows for dialogue and debate and eventually leads to compromises between politically opposing groups. But much more needs to be done. We have to identify and address extremism both in staff and students and work to stop the spread of ideologies that spew hate. A first step must be taken.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 29^th, 2017.

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